Portable garbage disposal unit



April 9, 1952 E. GAMAUNT, sR 2,594,635

PORTABLE GARBAGE DISPOSAL: UNIT F ilgql July 18, 1951 fi lwme A m 5544441173;

Patented Apr. 29, 1952 PORTABLE GARBAGE DISPOSAL UNIT Leon E. Gamaunt, Sr., San Pedro, Calif assignor' to G. M. Engineering 00., Inc., Burbank, Calif.,

a corporation Refiled for application Serial No. 133,881, Decem-.

ber 19, 1949. This application July 18, 1951,

Serial No. 237,409

12 Claims.

My invention relates to a portable garbage disposal unit, and is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 95,899, filed May 28, 1949, on a Garbage Disposal Unit.

This application is a refile of application Serial No. 133,881, filed December 19, 1949, and which became abandoned on April 13, 1951.

Although the popularity of power driven gar bage disposal units has increased tremendously in the past few years, one of the disadvantages to the previously available units has been the relatively high cost involved in altering existing plumbing to permit their installation. The primary purpose in devising my present invention is to eliminate the above mentioned disadvantage by supplying a portable garbage disposal unit that may be positioned in a sink without disturbing existing plumbing.

A major object of my invention is to supply a relatively light-weight portable garbage unit that may be placed in or removed from a sink with-out altering existing plumbing, that is attractive in appearance, easy to operate, and is particularly adapted for the use of those persons living in rented homes who desire the advantages of a power driven garbage disposal unit but do not wish to be put to the expense of making an alteration in the existing plumbing.

Another object of my invention is to furnish a portable garbage disposal unit that can be manufactured from standard commercially available material, that requires only the use of semiskilled personnel in its assembly, and due to its low cost of production may be sold in the medium priced merchandising field.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a portable garbage disposal unit that has a relatively simple mechanical structure, low maintenance cost, and so simple in operation that a child may safely place waste food prodnets and garbage therein.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred form thereof and from the drawing illustrating that form in which:

Figure 1 is a combined side elevational view and vertical cross-sectional view of my portable garbage disposal unit;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the device;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical, cross sectional view of the cutting and shredding mechanism, with the cutting member being in the retracted position;

Figure 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an alternate form of waste discharge outlet; and,

Figure 5 is a plan view of the closing member used on the hopper.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 for the general arrangement of my portable garbage disposal unit, it will be seen that the device includes a garbage receiving hopper H that is in communication with a rearwardly disposed chamber C in which the material to be disposed of is cut or shredded. The motive power used in cutting or shredding the material placed in the hopper H is supplied by a motor M that is affixed to the end of the chamber C opposite that on which the hopper H is mounted. The chamber C as will best be seen in Figure 1, includes an outer shell 21, and an inner shell 28 in which the cutting and shredding of the material to be disposed of takes place.

The shell 2! is cylindrical in shape and can be fabricated from any suitable rigid material, with the shell on the forward end being formed with an inwardly extending annular flange 29, and on the rearward end with a similar flange 39. The peripheral surfaces of the flanges 29 and 39 are adapted to slidably engage the exterior surface of the shell 28, and thus provide a longitudinally extending annular cavity 3| between the shells 2i and 28 for reasons which will hereinafter he explained. The lower portion of the shell 21 has a downwardly and forwardly sloping portion 32a extending from the flange 29 to a downwardly extending drain pipe 19a.

The shell 28 has a rearwardly positioned substantially straight walled section 28a, the exterior surface of which slidably engages the interior face of the flange 3E, and an inwardly and forwardly sloping portion 33. The exterior surface of the shell portion 33 is adapted to slidably engage the interior surface of the flange 29 which is tapered outwardly and rearwardly. A downwardly extending lip 29a formed on the upper portion of the flange 29 engages the forward end of the shell 28, and holds the shell in the desired longitudinal position. Formed on the interior surface of the shell 28 are a number of longitudinally extending stationary blades 39, with each of the blades having a sawtooth shaped cross section as disclosed in detail in my pending application, Serial No. 95,899.

The blades 34 as may best be seen in Figure l, are angularly positioned with relation to the horizontal plane, in order that as the material to be disposed of is rotated by the centrifugal. action of water within the confines of the shell 29, the material will strike the cutting end of the blades 34 with a slicing rather than a chopping action. By contact with the blades 94, the softer materials to be disposed of are cut to the desired size. The forward edge of the motor M is provided with an annular plate 35 that is bolted or otherwise secured to the rearwardly disposed face of the flange 39. A horizontally positioned shaft 36 extends forwardly from the motor M, and passes through a ball bearing 32 and packing ring 38 situated in a cehtralh, disposed bore formed in the plate 35.

In Figure 3 it will be seen that the shaft 35 has a tapered portion 39 formed on the forward portion thereof, with the extreme forward portion 49 of the shaft being of annular cross section and of somewhat smaller diameter than the rearward portion thereof and having threads 41 formed thereon. An annular rotor 42 having a longitudinally extending tapered bore 43 formed therein is adapted to be mounted on the shaft portion 39, and held in position thereon by a nut 44 that engages the threads 4|. The nut 44 is situated within the confines of an annular bore 45 formed in the rotor 42 that is of somewhat larger diameter than the bore 43. The bore 45 is in coaxial alignment with the bore 43 and forms an annular body shoulder 46 therewith, with the nut 44 abutting against the shoulder when the nut engages the threads 4|. To hold the rotor 42 rigidly on the shaft 45, the shaft is provided with a longitudinally extending keyway 4? that is engaged by a key 48 which also engages a slot formed in the rotor 42.

The rotor 42 includes a rim portion 49, and a hub portion 53, with the rim and hub portions being so arranged that an annular cavity is formed therebetween. The exterior surface of the hub portion 59 has threads 52 formed thereon for reasons which will hereinafter be explained. A rotatable cutting member 53 includes a central cylindrical body portion 54 of such diameter that it is slidably movable within the cavity 5|, with the body portion 42 having a longitudinally extending bore 55 formed therein, and the rearward portion of the bore being tapped to form threads 56 that engage the threads 52. A helical spring 51 is adapted to slip over the hub 59 and be positioned within the confines of the bore 55, with the forward end of the spring resting against the rearward face of an annular lip 58 that extends inwardly into the bore 55, and the rearward end of the spring abutting against the forward face of the threads 52.

To lighten the weight of the rotor 42 an annular recess 59 is formed on the rearward face thereof. A forwardly disposed, inwardly tapering annular portion 63 is formed on the forward face of the rotor 42.

The cutting member 53 as described in my pending application, includes two diametrically opposed blades 6|, each of which extends outwardly from the forward end of the body portion 54. Each of the blades BI is of such a length that the outer edge portion 62 thereof is in close proximity to the outer edges of the stationary blades 34 as the cutting member 53 rotates. The rearward face of each of the blades 6! is provided with a forwardly and inwardly extending recess 63, with the recess permitting the blades 6| to assume a retracted position in which the rearward face of the blades 6| is in contact with the forward face of the rim portion 39. The position of the cutting member 53 in the cutting and retracted position is shown in Figures 6 and 5 respectively in my pending application, Serial No. 95,899.

An annular plate 64 is rigidly afiixed. to the extreme forward end of the shaft portion 40 by exterior of the shell 28.

a longitudinally extending screw 65 that engages a tapped bore formed in the shaft. The annular plate 64 as may best be seen in Figure 3 prevents the cutting member 53 being displaced from the rotor 42 due to the rotation of the threads 52 with relation to the threads 53. The cutting member 53 when in the normal outwardly extending cutting position as shown in Figure 3, has the plate 64 engaging the lower surface of the lip 53 to prevent further forward movement the cutting member. fhus, it is impossible for the cutting member 53 to be displaced from the shaft 36 so long as the plate 64 is held in position on the shaft by the screw 65.

In Figure 1 it will be seen that the inner shell 23 has a number of longitudinally spaced bores 36 formed in each of the stationary blades 34, with the bores serving to permit the material to be dispensed with after it has been cut or shredded to apredetermined size to pass outwardly to the cavity 3|. After the cut or shredded material has passed into the cavity 3| it is carried by water which is also flowing through the bore 66 to the drain pipe 190:. Although the bores 66 may have a uniform cross section as shown in my pending application, I prefer to have them countersunk or tapered as shown in Figure l of the present application, with the portion of the bores of greatest diameter being situated on the Tapered bores of this description facilitate removal of ground material from the exterior of the shell 23 in the manual cleaning of my device.

The drain pipe tea as may best be seen in Figure 1, is substantially vertical, and is adapted to have a tapered conducting member 83 of annular oross section slipped thereon, with the member Si! having a flange 8! formed on the lower edge thereof. The flange 8! is of an angular configuration, and is adapted to rest on the exterior of a conventional drain D that is normally provided in a sink with which my device will be used. Although the member 89 may be formed from a number of different materials, I prefer to use a material such as rubber that has sufficient resiliency to press the flange 8! downwardly at all times into contact with the pcriphery of the drain D. Thus, it wiil be seen that the conducting member 33 serves as a conduit to direct the flow of ground material from the cavity 3i into the drain D from where it passes through the sewer. Occasionally it may be found that with my garbage disposal unit conveniently located in a sink, that the member 69 will not align with the drain D. For those situations I have provided an alternate conducting member 83 as best seen in Figure 4 that has a neck 84 that slips over the drain pipe I9. An elongated conduit portion 85 of the member 83 terminates in a flange 82 which is adapted to rest on and be aligned with the periphery of the drain D. The connecting member 33 is pref erably formed from a resilient material such as rubber or one of the synthetic plastics.

The hopper H as may best be seen in Figure l is formed with a flared upwardly positioned garbage receiving portion 83 that continues downwardly into a portion 8! of gradually increasing diameter which is offset from the longitudinal axis of the device by two elbows 8S and 89 respectively. The elbow 89 is disposed normal to the elbow 88, and is provided on its rearward end with a flange 96 that is adapted to be affixed to the forward face of the flange 29. Although several fastening means may be employed in affixing the hopper H to the chainher 0, I have found it convenient to provide bolt holes in the flanges 90 and 29 that are engaged by bolts 9| to removably hold the hopper H in the desired position.

Extending downwardly from the forward portion of the chamber C is a centrally disposed, vertically positioned leg 92 that maintains the chamber C and the hopper H in the desired vertical position. Two laterally disposed bosses 93 are formed on the lower rearward portion of the motor M, with each of the bosses being adapted to receive a leg 94 that is of such a height as to hold my device in a substantially horizontal position as may best be seen in Figure 1. From experience I have found that a single leg 92 on the forward portion of the device and the two legs 94 on the rearward portion thereof afford adequate support for it when positioned in a sink, but it will be apparent that this arrangement may be reversed should it be found desirable. Likewise, it will be obvious that two legs can be provided on both the forward and rearward portions of the device should this design be found advantageous.

To facilitate lifting my device from and placing it in a 'sink, an inverted U-shaped handle 96 is provided and positioned on the forward portion of the motor M, with the handle aflixed thereto by bolts 91 that engage the handle and extend into tapped bores formed in the motors M. Electric power is supplied to actuate my device through an insulated cable 98 that terminates in a push button switch 99 that is preferably located on the rearward upper portion of the motor M as may best be seen in Figure 1.

An annular cover I00, having a knob or handle llll affixed thereto is provided for my device, with the cover adapted to be seated in the open end of the housing portion 86. An eliptical opening 132 is preferably formed in the cover in order that water from a faucet or other source of supply (not shown) may be permitted to flow into the hopper H during the time that garbage or other waste food material is being disposed of.

The operation of my invention is extremely simple. The device is placed in a sink, with either the conducting members 80 or 83 being so disposed as to afford communication between the drain pipe Illa and the drain D. The device is placed in operation by closing the switch 99 which completes an electric circuit to the motor M. The waste material which is desired to be disposed of is pressed downwardly into the hopper H through the portion 36, and at the same time water from one of the faucets normally provided on a sink is permitted to flow into the hopper H. The flow of water into the hopper H carries the food or material to be eliminated rearwardly into the confines of the chamber C. It will be noted that water may be introduced into the hopper H when the cover I is in posi tion thereon by permitting the water to flow through the opening I02. rotated by the motor M a centrifugal motion is imparted to the water in the shell 28, with the result that the water in turn imparts centrifugal motion to the food or material situated within the confines of the shell. As this material is whirled around on the interior surface of the shell 28 it comes into contact with the stationary blades 34 and is subjected to a cutting action thereon.

From experience it has been found that soft material carried into the shell 28 is out and shredded to a sufficiently small size as to pass As the rotor 42 is.

6 through the bores 56 into the cavity 3| due to the centrifugal action of the water. However, the more dense material is carried. rearwardly to engage the blades 61 and be shredded and cut to a size which permits it to pass through the bores 66 to the cavity 3|.

Upon occasion a bone or other hard material will be engaged by the blades 6!, and be sufficiently tough as not to be immediately shredded or cut into particles which will pass through the bores 66. In that event the cutting member 53 momentarily stops rotating, but with the shaft 36 continuing to rotate. As the shaft 36 rotates, the threads 52 rotate with relation to the threads 56 and draws the cutting member 53 rearwardly into the retracted position. In the retracted position the recessed blade portion 63 engages the forwardly positioned tapered member 60 of the rotor 42.

The cutting member 53 remains in the retracted position until the hard material which it cannot cut or crush has been reduced to a size where this operation can be carried out, with the reduction in size of the hard material being effected by constant cutting contact with the member 53 which is urged outwardly by the spring associated therewith. As hard material is reduced in size by contact with the cutting member 35, the cutting member is advanced due to expansion of the helical spring 56. The cutting member 53 then rotates in the forwardly disposed position shown in Figure 3 to cut and shred material until it again encounters a hard or dense material which cannot be immediately cut or shredded. Upon such a material being encountered, the cutting member 53 assumes the retracted position until such an operation can be carried out.

Thus, my portable garbage disposal unit will not stall by encounteringa material that it cannot immediately grind or pulverize to a sufficiently small size to pass through the bores 66 into the cavity 3|. The cutting or shredding of the material in my device is at all times carried out without the cutting member 53 being subjected to a cutting resistance that will increase the normal compression on the spring 5'! to the extent that the cutting member will assume the retracted position. Should the material passing into the device be of such a character that the force exerted thereon by the cutting member 53 is sufiiciently great as to increase the compression on the spring 51, the cutting member 53 will assume the retracted position as previously described until such time as it can cut or shred the material situated in the shell 28.

It will be apparent that the offset construction of the hopper H prevents a person from placing his hand in a position whereby it will be injured by the rotating cutting member 53. As a result the safety switch I5 disclosed in my copending application may be dispensed with in this form of my device.

While the garbage disposal unit herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of my invention, and that I do not mean to limit myself to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A portable garbage disposal unit adapted to be positioned in a sink which includes: an outer tubular shell; leg means that support said shell in a horizontal position in a sink; a. frustoconical inner shell that is longitudinally positioned Within the confines of said outer shell, with said inner shell having a plurality of circumferentially spaced perforations formed therein that extend substantially the longitudinal length of said shell; a garbage receiving hopper mounted on the end of said outer shell adjacent the small end of said inner shell, with the discharge end of said hopper in communication with the interior of said inner shell, and garbage and fluid discharged into said inner shell from said hopper tending to flow toward the larger end of said shell due to the frusto-conical shape thereof; a motor mounted on said outer shell on the end adjacent the larger end of said inner shell; a shaft extending into the large end portion of said inner shell from said motor; a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending cutting members positioned on the interior surface of said inner shell; a rotor mounted on said shaft, with said rotor positioned in the longer end portion of said inner shell, and fluid and garbage discharged into said inner shell when said rotor is rotating, subjected to two actions, first, the tendency of the fluid and garbage to move toward the larger end of said shell due to the frusto-conical shape thereof, and second to centrifugal action imparted to said fluid and garbage by the rotation of said rotor whereby said fluid and garbage is whirled around the interior of said inner shell in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis thereof, with said whirling fluid flowing outwardly in a radial direction due to the centrifugal force exerted thereon, and this outward flow of fluid together with the centrifugal force exerted on the whirling garbage causing the major portion of said garbage to be shredded into sufiiciently small particles to be ejected through said perforations; a hub forming a part of said rotor, with said hub having threads formed on the exterior thereof; a rotary blade, with said blade formed with a hub that has a tapped bore that en ages said threads; spring means operatively associated with said rotor and blade that cause said rotor and blade to rotate in unison, with said blade shredding that portion of said garbage that is not shredded by whirling contact with said cutting members to sufficiently small size to pass through said perforations, and

said spring means being compressible to permit the rotation of said rotor hub to move said blade rcarwardly to a position where said blade can rotate when said blade encounters a piece of refuse it cannot readily shred, and the compression on said spring when said blade has moved longitudinally tending to reverse said movement and keeping said blade in rotating shredding contact with the refuse causing the first longitudinal position of said blade until said refuse is shredded sufficiently to permit said blade to occupy its normal rotating movement on said rotor; a drain pipe extending downwardly from said outer shell through which shredded garbage and fluid that have passed through said perforations are discharged; and a resilient tubular member removably connecting said drain pipe to the drain in the sink in which said unit is positioned.

2. A portable garbage disposal unit adapted to be positioned in a sink which includes: an outer tubular shell; leg means that support said shell in a horizontal position in a sink; a frusto-conical inner shell that is longitudinally positioned within the confines of said outer shell, with said inner shell having a plurality of circumferentially spaced perforations formed therein that extend substantially the longitudinal length of said shell; a garbage receiving hopper mounted on the end of said outer shell adjacent the small end of said inner shell, with the discharge end of said hopper in communication with the interior of said inner shell, and garbage and fluid discharged into said inner shell from said hop per tending to flow toward the larger end of said shell due to the frusto-conical shape thereof; a motor mounted on said outer shell on the end adjacent the larger end of said inner shell; a shaft extending into the large end portion of said inner shell from said motor; a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending cutting members positioned on the interior surface of said inner shell; a rotor mounted on said shaft, with said rotor positioned in the larger end portion of said inner shell, and fluid and garbage discharged into said inner shell when said rotor is rotating, subjected to two actions, first, the tendency of the fluid and garbage to move toward the larger end of said shell due to the frusto-conical shape thereof, and sec- 0nd to centrifugal action imparted to said fluid and garbage by the rotation of said rotor whereby said fluid and garbage is whirled around the interior of said inner shell in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis thereof, with said whirling fluid flowing outwardly in a radial direction due to the centrifugal force exerted thereon, and this outward flow of fluid together with the centrifugal force exerted on the whirling garbage causing the major portion of said garbage to be shredded into sufliciently small particles to be ejected through said perforations; a spring loaded rotary blade operatively associated with said rotor and rotated thereby, with said blade shredding that portion of the garbage that is not shredded by contact with said cutting members, and said spring loaded blade being moved rearwardly by the rotation of said rotor to a position where it can rotate when said blade encounters refuse it cannot readily shred; a drain pipe extending downwardly from said outer shell through which shredded garbage and fluid that have passed through said perforations are discharged; and a resilient tubular member removably connecting said drain pipe to the drain in the sink in which said unit is positioned.

3. A portable garbage disposal unit adapted to be positioned in a sink which includes: an outer tubular shell; leg means that support said shell in a horizontal position in a sink; a frustoconical inner shell that is longitudinally positioned within the confines of said outer shell. with said inner shell having a plurality of circumferentially spaced perforations formed therein that extend substantially the longitudinal length of said shell; a garbage receiving hopper mounted on the end of said outer shell adjacent the small end of said inner shell, with the discharge end of said hopper in communication with the interior of said inner shell, and garbage and fluid discharged into said inner shell from said hopper tending to flow toward the larger end of said shell due to the frusto-conical shape thereof; a motor mounted on said outer shell on the end adjacent the larger end of said inner shell; a shaft extending into the large end portion of said inner shell from said motor; a plurality of, circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending cutting members positioned on the interior surface of said inner shell; a rotor mounted on said shaft, with said rotor positioned in the larger end portion of said inner shell, and fluid and garbage discharged into said inner shell when said rotor is rotating, subjected to two actions, first, the tendency of the fluid and garbage to move toward the larger end of said shell due to the frusto-conical shape thereof, and second to centrifugal action imparted to said fluid and garbage by the rotation of said rotor whereby said fluid and garbage is whirled around the interior of said inner shell in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis thereof, with said whirling fluid flowing outwardly in a radial direction due to the centrifugal force exerted thereon, and this outward flow of fluid together with the centrifugal force exerted on the whirling garbage causing the major portion of said garbage to be shredded into sufliciently small particles to be ejected through said perforations; a rotary blade rotatably supported on said rotor; spring means operatively connecting said blade and rotor to cause said blade and rotor to rotate in unison with said blade shredding that portion of the garbage that is not shredded on said cutting members, and said spring means permitting said blade to be moved rearwardly by the rotation of said rotor when said blade encounters refuse it cannot instantly shred to a position where said blade can rotate; a drain pipe extending downwardly from said outer shell through which shredded garbage and fluid that have passed through said perforations are discharged; and a resilient tubular member removably connecting said drain pipe to the drain in the sink in which said unit is positioned.

4. A portable garbage disposal unit adapted to be positioned in a sink which includes: an outer tubular shell; leg means that support said shell in a horizontal position in a sink; a frusto-conical inner shell that is longitudinally positioned within the confines of said outer shell, with said inner shell having a plurality of circumferentially spaced perforations formed therein that extend substantially the longitudinal length of said shell; a garbage receiving hopper mounted on the end of said outer shell adjacent the small end of said inner shell, with the discharge end of said hopper in communication with the interior of said inner shell, and garbage and fluid discharged into said inner shell from said hopper tending to flow toward the larger end of said shell due to the frusto-conical shape thereof; a motor mounted on said outer shell on the end adjacent the larger end of said inner shell; a shaft extending into the large end portion of said inner shell from said motor; a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending cutting members posi tioned on the interior surface of said inner shell; rotary cutting means mounted on said shaft. with said means when rotated by said motor imparting rotary motion to fluid and garbage entering said inner shell from said hopper to shred the major portion of said garbage on said cutting members to sufflciently small size to pass through said perforations, and the balance of said garbage being shredded by contact with said cutting means to particles of a size that pass through said perforations; a drain pipe extending downwardly from said outer shell through which shredded garbage and fluid that have passed through said perforations are discharged; and a resilient tubular member removably connecting 10 said drain pipe to the drain in the sink in which said unit is positioned.

5. A portable garbage disposal unit adapted to be positioned in a sink which includes: an outer tubular shell; leg means that support said shell in a horizontal position in a sink; a frusto-conical inner shell that is longitudinally positioned with in the confines of said outer shell, with said inner shell having a plurality of circumferentially spaced perforations formed therein that extend substantially the longitudinal length of said shell; a garbage receiving hopper mounted on the end of said outer shell adjacent the small end of said inner shell, with the discharge end of said hopper in communication with the interior of said inner shell, and garbage and fluid discharged into said inner shell from said hopper tending to flow toward the larger end of said shell due to the frusto-conical shape thereof; a motor mounted on said outer shell on the end adjacent the larger end of said inner shell; a shaft extending into the large end portion of said inner shell from said motor; a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending cutting members positioned on the interior surface of said inner shell; a rotary cutting blade mounted on said shaft, with said blade when rotated by said motor imparting rotary motion to fluid and garbage entering said inner shell from said hopper to shred the major portion of said garbage on said cutting members to sufficiently small size to pass through said perforations, and the balance of said garbage being shredded to sufliciently small particles to pass through said perforations by contact with said blades; a drain pipe extending downwardly from said outer shell through which shredded. garbage and fluid that have passed through said perforations are discharged; and a resilient tubular member removably connecting said drain pipe to the drain in the sink in which said unit is positioned.

6. A portable garbage disposal unit adapted to be positioned in a sink which includes: an outer tubular shell; leg means that support said shell in a horizontal position in a sink; a frusto-conical inner shell that is longitudinally positioned within the confines of said outer shell, with said inner shell having a plurality of circumferentially spaced perforations formed therein that extend substantially the longitudinal length of said shell; a garbage receiving hopper mounted on the end of said outer shell adjacent the small end of said inner shell, with the discharge end of said hopper in communication with the interior of said inner shell, and garbage and fluid discharged into said inner shell from said hopper tending to flow toward the larger end of said shell due to the frusto-conical shape thereof; a motor mounted on said outer shell on the end adjacent the larger end of said inner shell; a shaft extending into the large end portion of said inner shell from said motor; a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending cutting members positioned on the interior surface of said inner shell; a rotary cutting blade having a tapped bore formed therein that movably engages threaded means on said shaft; spring means operatively associated with said shaft and blade to cause them to rotate in unison, with the rotation of said blade imparting rotary motion to garbage and fluid discharged into said inner shell from said hopper as said fluid and garbage move toward the larger end of said shell whereby the major portion of said garbage is shredded to sufiiciently small sizeto pass through said perforations by contact with said cutting members, and the portion of said garbage not 'so shredded being cut to sufficiently small size to pass through said perforations by contact with said blade, and said spring means being deformable to permit said blade to be moved longitudinally to a position where it can rotate due to relative rotation between said shaft and blade when said blade encounters a piece of refuse it cannot shred, with said spring means at all times tending to reverse the direction of said longitudinal movement of said blade and maintaining said blade in rotating shredding contact with the refuse causing the first longitudinal movement of said blade until said blade occupies its normal garbage cutting position on said shaft; a drain pipe extending downwardly from said outer shell through which shredded garbage and fluid that have passed through said perforations are discharged; and a resilient tubular member removably connecting said drain pipe to the drain in the sink in which said unit is positioned.

7. A portable garbage disposal unit adapted to be positioned in a sink which includes: an outer tubular shell; leg means that support said shell in a horizontal position in a sink; a frusto-conical inner shell that has a plurality of circumferentially spaced perforations extending substantially the longitudinal length thereof, with said inner shell longitudinally positioned within the confines of said outer shell; a plurality of longitudinally extending, circumferentially spaced, cutting members positioned on the interior surface of said inner shell; a garbage receiving hopper mounted on the end of said outer shell adjacent the smaller end of said inner shell, with said hopper in communication with the interior of said inner shell; a motor mounted on the end of said outer shell adjacent the larger end of said inner shell; a shaft extending from said motor into the larger end portion of said inner shell; rotary cutting means mounted on said shaft, with said means when rotated imparting a whirling motion to fluid and garbage entering said inner shell from said hopper to shred the major portion of said garbage into sufliciently small particles to pass through said perforations, and the balance of said garbage that is not so shredded in traveling the length of said inner shell being cut to particles of a sufficiently small size to pass through said perforations by contact with said blade; a drain pipe ex.- tending downwardly from said outer shell through which shredded garbage and fluid flow after they have passed through said perforations; and tubular means removably connecting said drain pipe to the drain in the sink in which said unit is positioned.

8. A portable garbage disposal unit adapted to be positioned in a sink which includes: an outer tubular shell; leg means that support said shell in a horizontal position in a sink; a frusto-conical inner shell that has a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings formed therein that extend substantially the longitudinal length of said shell, with said inner shell longitudinally positioned within the confines of said outer shell, and said inner shell having a plurality of longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced cutting members formed on the interior surface thereof; garbage receiving hopper means in communication with the small end of said inner shell; a rotary cutting blade having a tapped bore formed therein, with said blade positioned in the large end portion of said inner shell; a driven til threaded member that engages said tapped bore to rotate said blade, with said blade when rotating subjecting garbage and fluid that is discharged into said inner shell from said hopper and is moving toward the large end of said inner shell to a whirling action in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of said inner shell, with the bulk of said garbage that is so moving being shredded by whirling contact with said cutting members to particles of a sufficiently small size to pass through said openings during the time said garbage is traversing the length of said inner shell, and said garbage that is not reduced to sufficiently small particles to pass through said openings by whirling contact with said cutting members being so reduced after it has traversed the length of said inner shell and contacts said blade; spring means operatively associated with said threaded member and blade that maintains said blade at a fixed longitudinal position in said inner shell, with said spring means being compressible to permit longitudinal movement of said blade due to relative rotation between said member and blade to a position where said blade can rotate when said blade encounters a piece of refuse it cannot readily shred, and said spring means tending at all times to move said blade in a longitudinal direction opposite to that in which it has moved, with said spring means during the time it is tending to reverse the direction of said first longitudinal movement of said blade maintaining said blade in rotary shredding contact with the refuse that caused said first longitudinal movement to take place; a drain pipe extending downwardly from said outer shell through which shredded garbage and fluid that have passed through said perforations flow; and a resilient tubular member aflixed to said drain pipe and capable of being removably connected to the drain in said sink in which said unit is positioned.

9. A portable garbage disposal unit which includes: a frusto-conical shell that has a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings formed therein that extend substantially the longitudinal length of said shell; a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending cutting members formed on the interior surface of said shell; a garbage receiving hopper in communication with the small end of said shell; a driven threaded member positioned in the large end portion of said shell; a rotary cutting blade that has a tapped bore formed therein that is rotatably engaged by said threaded member; spring means operatively associated with said driven member and blade to cause them to rotate in unison, with said blade when rotating subjecting fluid and garbage entering said shell to ,a whirling motion in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of said shell to shred the bulk of said garbage by contact with said cutting members into sufficiently small particles to pass through said openings during the time said garbage traverses the length of said shell, and said garbage that is not so shredded being shredded to a size sufficiently small to pass through said openings when it contacts said blade, with said spring means being compressible to permit said blade to move longitudinally to a position where it can rotate due to relative rotation between said blade and threaded member when said blade encounters refuse which will not readily shred, and said spring means during the time said blade is in the moved position maintaining said blade in pressure contact with the refuse resulting in said movement to cause the shredding thereof;

an outer shell in which said frusto-conical shell is longitudinally positioned; leg means that support said shells in a substantially horizontal position in a sink; drain means in said outer shell through which fluid and shredded garbage pass; and tubular means to removably connect said drain means to the drain in the sink in which said unit is positioned.

10. A portable garbage disposal unit which includes: a frusto-conical shell that has a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings formed therein that extend substantially the longitudinal length of said shell; a plurality of circumferentially spaced longitudinally extending cutting members formed on the interior surface of said shell; a garbage receiving hopper in communication with the small end of said shell; a driven threaded member positioned in the large end portion of said shell; a rotary cutting blade that has a tapped bore formed therein that is rotatably engaged by said threaded member; spring means operatively associated with said driven member and blade to cause them to rotate in unison, with said blade subjecting garbage and fluid discharged into said shell from said hopper to a whirling motion in a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of said shell during the time it moves from the small toward the large end thereof, with the bulk of said garbage being shredded into sufiiciently small particles to pass through said openings due to whirling contact with said cutting members, and the balance of said garbage by contact with said blade, and said springmeans being deformable to permit said blade to move longitudinally to a position where it can rotate vdue relativerotation between said threaded member and blade when said blade encounters refuse it cannotreadily shred, with said spring means urging said blade under pressure into rotary shredding contact with said refuse that caused the longitudinal movement of said blade until said refuse is shredded to the extent that said blade occupies its normal cutting position on said threaded member; means to support saidshell in a horizontal position; shell means surrounding said frusto-conical shell in which fluidand shredded garbage that has passed through said openings collects; a drain pipe extending outwardly from said shell means; and tubular means to removably connect said drain pipe to a sink drain.

11. A disposal unit which includes: ahoi izontally positioned frusto-conical shell that has a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings formed therein that extend substantially the longitudinal length of said shell, with said shell having a plurality of longitudinally extending cutting members formed on the interior surface thereof; a refuse receiving hopper through which fluid and refuse is discharged into the small end of said shell; rotary refuse cutting means positioned in the large end portion of said shell that are longitudinally movable within a predetermined'range, with said means when rotating imparting a whirling motion to refuse and fluid in said shell as said refuse and fluid travels from the small toward the large end thereof, and the bulk of said refuse being shredded to suff ciently small particles to pass through said openings by whirling contact with said cutting members and the balance by contact with said means, with said cutting means being moved longitudinally to a position where it can rotate when said means encounters refuse it cannot readily shred, and said means remaining in rotary shredding contact with said refuse that caused it to be moved longitudinally until saidrefuse has been shredded to the extent that said means can occupy its normal refuse cutting position; shell means surrounding said frusto-conical shell in which shredded refuse and fluid is discharged after passing through said openings; a drain pipe in communication with the interior of said shell means; and tubular means capable of removably connecting said drain pipe to a household drain.

12. A portable garbage disposal unit which includes: a horizontallypositioned frusto-conic-al shell that has a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings formed therein that extend substantially the longitudinal length of said shell, with said shell having a plurality of longitudinally extending cutting members formed on the interior surface thereof; a driven threaded member positioned in the large end portion of said shell; a rotary cutting blade positioned in the large end portion of said shell and said blade having a tapped bore formed therein that is rotatably engaged by said member, with said blade rotated by and being longitudinally movable relative to said member, with said blade when rotated imparting a whirling motion to garbage and fluid delivered into said shell from said hopper, and the bulk of said garbage being shredded into sufiiciently small particles to pass through said openings by whirling contact with said members and the balance of said garbage after it has traversed the length of said shell and contacts said blade; spring eans operatively associated with said driven member and blade, with said spring means being deformable to permit the longitudinal movement of said blade to a position where it can rotate when said blade encounters refuse it cannot readily shred, and said spring means during the time said blade is longitudinally displaced maintaining said blade in rotary shredding contact with said refuse causing said longitudinal movement until said refuse'is shredded sufiiciently to permit said blade to assume normal garbage cutting position; means to collect shredded garbage and fluid discharged through said openings; and tubular means capable of connecting said shredded garbage collecting means to a household drain.

LEON E. GAMAUN'I, Sn.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 780,729 Rief Jan. 24, 1905 1,593,491 Gerson July 20, 1926 1,968,515 Coble et a1 July 31, 1934 2,200,061 Green May '7, 1940 2,286,520 Tranbarger June 16, 1942 2,421,014 Coss et a1. May 27, 1947 2,440,051 Lind et a1 Apr. 20, 1948 2,536,929 I-Iammell Jan. 2, 1951 

